Free-chain hoist



Aug.. '7, H93.

v IF. W. cow-NG FREE CHAIN HOIST Filed sept. '12. 1922 iV/OMA y.

L ATTORNEYS Patented Aug, 7 1923@ FREDRICK W. CUFFENG, F FERRYSVILLE, XNIDIN.

FREE-CHAIN HOST.

Application fnea september i2, i922. semi no. tenete.

To all whom t may comm.'

Be it known that I, Fnnnmox W. Cor- FiNo, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Perrysville, in the county of Vermilion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Free-Chain Hoists, of which the following is a specification.

Gti

This invention relates to an improvement in chain hoists, and the object of the invention is to provide a chain hoist wherein the chain operates or extends throu h a frame so as to be housed and protecte guided to partake of its propermovements and constrained to operate in its proper field or sphere of action whereby a substantial length of chain may be utilized without portions of the chain being in the way or being in danger of becoming entangled with itself or surrounding objects or structures.

Another object is to provide a chain hoist of this character in which the chain and frame are so organized with each other and with the driving mechanism -that the heavy stresses imposed upon these parts are evenly and roperly distributed thereby endowing the lioist with features of strength and durability and ease of operation not approached by devices heretofore proposed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming -part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view thereof in front elevation;

Figure 3 is a detail View in section, showing the frame construction on line 3 3 of F1 ure 2;

igure 4 is a similar view' showing the frame construction on line 4-4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is a sectional View on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates an elon ated channel frame, preferably constructs of steel or cast iron and embodying a back wall l1, side walls 12 and 13 and longitudinal flanges 14 .and l5 integrally formed with the side walls 13 of the frame and extending the 60 12 and full length of the frame, so as to partially, although not entirely,- close the open side of the channel.- This channel frame provides a channel-way 16 of such size and contour that the hoist chain, 17, has asmooth sliding fit therein, the hoist chain being extendedthrough the channel way 16, as shown in the drawings. rllhis hoist chain 17 is of course made up of a series of links pivotally connected with each other and may be and preferably is of substantlal length. The upper ends of the side walls 12 and 13 of the channel frame are inclined as indicated at 18 in Figure 1, and

the side flanges integrally formed with these 'side walls are curved rearwardly, as indicated at 19 in Figure l so that as the chain leaves the upper end of the channel way 16 it is deflected rearwardly and thus automatically disposed so as to hang down along the closed back wall 11 of the channel frame, the hanging portion vof the chain 17 being thus disposed out of the way and in a position where it cannot become entangled with thel remainder of surrounding structures or objects.

.At the lower end of the channel frame 10 the side walls 12 and 13 are enlarged or extended laterally to provide spaced'wings or bearing plates 20 and 2.1 (see Figure Lt). 90

As shown in the drawings, these bearing plates 20 and 21 are of relatively heavy construction so that the danges 14 and 15 are merged or blended into them.

Driving mechanism is provided for the chain 17 and preferably includes a short drive shaft or axle 22 journaled in bearings provided therefor in the bearing plates 20 and 21 and having a squared extension 23 with which a crank or lever having a ratchet device is adapted to coact. Uf course it is to be understood that means other than the crank and lever equipped with the ratchet device may be employed, if desired, for imparting motion to the drive shaft or axle 22. 1105 A drive sprocket 24C isrkeyed or otherwise fixed to the drive axle 22 and is arranged to o crate in between the plates 20 and 21, t e drive sprocket having teeth 25 which extend into spaces between the links of the ilo chain 17 and coact with these links to impart the desired lift or other motion to the designated at 65 the chain or with $5 chain 17. A safety dog 26 is pivotally mounted on the side plates 20 and 21, as indicated at 27, and is engageable with the teeth 25 of the drive s rodlret to prevent retrograde movement t iereof. The ldog 26 includes a relatively longl and heavy handle rtion 28 which serves to automatically throw the dog into engagement with. the teeth of the sprocket 24 and which also affords a ready means for moving the dog out of engagement with the sprocket when such is desired.

The lower end of the chain preferably has a swiveled connection 30 with a hook 31.

A strap 32 embraces the side walls 12 and 13 at the upper end of the frame 10 and is bolted, as at 33, to these side Walls. A hook 34 is provided and has swiveled connection, as at 35, with the uppei'end of the strap 32. It is to be understood of lcourse that the hook 34 affords a convenient means for suspending the hoist 4from any permanent structure or support whereas the hook 31 facilitates the connection of the chain of the hoist to the object to be lifted.

,'With this organization, the chain operating in the channel ways 16 is at all times positively engaged with the drive sprocket 25 and thus irrespective of the load the drive sprocket is capable of controlling and imarting the proper movements to the chain.

Ioreover a substantial length of chain may be utilized since with the arrangement shown the chain may not become entangled with surrounding objects or withv itself. Again the arrangement shown is capable of receiving a powerful and eflicient drive since the projecting portion 28 of the drive shaft or axle is adapted to cooperate with either the crank, a lever equipped with the ratchet device or a motor drive or the like and irrespective of what means is utilized to rotate the drive shaft or axle 22 the force is efiiciently applied to lift the object suspended from the lower end of the chain.

I claim: n

1. A chain hoist having an elongated channel frame including a back wall and side walls provided with longitudinally extending flanges partially closing the open side of the channel, a chain extending through the channel of said frame, said side walls of said channel havin extensions at the lower end thereof constituting bearing plates, the bearing plates extendin laterally from the open side of the channel rame and driving mechanism mounted 0n said bear ing plates and including la. sprocket having teeth engaged with the chain.

2. A chain hoist having an elongated channel frame including a back wall and side walls provided with longitudinally extending fianges partially closing the open side of t-he channel, a chain extending through the channel of said frame, said side walls of said channel having extensions at the lower end thereof constituting bearing plates, the bearing plates extending laterally from the open side ot the channel fra-me, driving mechanism including a drive axle rotatably mounted on the bearing plates and having a shank projecting therefrom and adapted to c'oact with actuating means, a drive sprocket fixed to the shaft and arranged in between the bearin plates, said drive sprocket having teetih extending toward the back wall of the channel frame and enga ed with the chain,

3. A- c ain hoist having an elongated channel frame including a back wall and side walls provided with longitudinally extending flanges partially closing the open side of' the channel, a chain extending through the channel of said frame, said side walls of said channel having extensions at the lower end thereof constituting bearing plates, the bearing plates extending laterally from the open side of the channel' frame, vdriving mechanism including a drive axle rotatably mounted on the bearing plates and having a shank projecting therefrom and adapted to coact with actuating means, a drive sprocket fixed to the shaft and arranged in between the bearing plates, said drive sprocket having teeth extending toward t-he back wall of the channel frame and engaged with the chain, and a safety dog also mounted on the bearing plates and cooperable with the teeth of the sprocket. wheels.

4. A chain hoist having an elongatedchannel frame including a back wall and side walls provided with longitudinally extending fianges partially closing the open side of the channel, the channel thus defined providing a guideway, a chain extending through the guideway, driving mechanism carried by the channel and cooperable with the frame through the open side of the chalinel, said guideway having at its upper end means for deflecting the chain to hang down along the closed side of the channel.

FREDRICK W. GOFFING. 

